Shipping-basket



W. L. PITTS.

SHIPPING BASKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1919.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.

Ufa/g WM X 6312?;

AC AMZQZM MED s-TA ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. PITTS, OF MARSHALL, TEXAS.

SHIPPING-BASKET.

nastiest.

Patented Sept. 6, 192i.

Application filed May 3, 1919. Serial No. 294,468.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. Prrrs, a,

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marshall, county of Harrison, and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shipping-Baskets, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to bushel baskets and the like used for shipping fruit, and more particularly to the closures or covers of such baskets, and seeks to provide improved means for securely supporting and securing the cover in position to prevent pil- I is similar to that of bushel baskets now in common use for packing and shipping fruit. The basket body is formed, as usual, of a series of radially disposed, wooden splints 1 having overlying central portions that form the bottom 2 of the basket, and the ends of which splints are bent upwardly to form the side wall of the basket. The upper ends of the splints are arranged between and are riveted or stapled to inner and outer hoops 3 and which form the rim of the basket. Preferably also, a hoop 5 encircles and is secured to the staples midway between the rim and bottom of the basket. The cover shown is of usual type and comprises a hoop or rim 6 which is of substantially the same size as the basket rim and a series of parallel wooden slats 7 nailed or otherwise suitably fastened at their ends to the upper edge of the rim hoop. To afford ventilation, the slats 7 of the cover are preferably spaced apart, as shown.

zontal upper portions and vertical arms or side members. The lower portions of the side arms of the loops extend downwardly between the rim hoops 3 and l of the basket and their ends extend through the inner rim hoop 3 and are upturned against the inner face thereof to form in effect hooks 12 which securely hold the fastener loops 11in position. Preferably, the portions of the loops which aroject upwardly from the basket rim are 0 rset outwardly to a slight extent, as lndicated in Fig. 1, and the cover is of such slze that it fits fairly snugly within the upwardly projecting portions of the loops.

The cross slats 9 and 10, the projecting ends of each of which engage one pair of fastener loops 11, are arranged substantially at right angles to each other, and the loops are similarly arranged in two pairs, the loops of each pair being disposed at diametrically opppsite portions of the basket rim. The fastener slat 9 extends across the series of slats 7 of the cover and is permanently secured thereto by rivets or staples 13. The second, or loose, fastener slat 10 which, as stated, is disposed at right angles to the slat 9, is temporarily secured thereto and to the cover preferably by nails 14.

The center post 8 which supports the cover and aids in holding it in position is provided at its lower end with a metal prong having sharpened upper and lower ends and a central integral flange 16. The sharpened upper portion of the prong is embedded in the lower portion of the post with the flange 16 abutting against its lower end face. The supporting center post is preferably of such size that it fits between the central pair of cross slats 7 of the cover and abuts against the lower side of the cross slat 9. Tts length is slightly in excess of the combined height of the cover and the inner central portion of the basket.

Tn preparing the basket for shipment, the central post is first placed in position by driving the lower sharpened end of the prong 15 into the bottom 2 of the basket. This may be conveniently done by striking upon the upper end of the post. The basket is then packed with fruit and the cover placed in position with one pro ecting end of the cross slat 9 engaging one of the fastener loops 11, then by slightly distorting the body of the basket. the diametrically opposite loop can be engaged with the oppositely pro ecting end of the slat 9. The

engaged with the loops 11 and the central portions of the cover and fastener cross slats are bulged or'bowed u wardl to a slight extent, as indicated in ig. 1 3y reason of this arrangement, the projecting ends of the fastener slats are held in snug engagement with the upper horizontal portions of the fastener loops, and cannot be disengaged therefrom without first removing the nails or the like which hold the fastener slat in position.

With the improved construction, the hasket cover is securely held in place so that pilfering is prevented and the fruit is not crushed when the baskets are piled upon one another in shipment. Obviously, changes may be made in the details set forth without departure from the essentials of the invention as defined in the claims.

Fclainrfis my invention:

1. A basket having two pairs of diametrically opposed loops secured to its rim and projecting upwardly therefrom, a cover fitting within said loops, two fastener slats secured to said cover at right angles to each within said loops and provided with a fastener cross slat permanently secured thereto and having projecting ends adapted to be engaged with one pair of said loops, a second fastener slat adapted to be engaged with the other pair of loops and temporarily secured to said cover, and a cover-supporting center post secured to the bottom of the basket and arranged to bow upwardly the central portions of said fastener slats and maintain the ends thereof in snug. engagement with the upper portions of said loops, substantially as described.

3. A basket having two pairs of diametrically opposed loops secured to its rim at right angles .to eachother and projecting upwardly from said rim, a cover fitting within said loops and provided with a'fastener cross slat permanently secured thereto and having projecting ends adapted to be engaged wlth one pair of said loops, and a second fastener slat adapted to be engaged with the other pair'of loops and be temporarily secured to said cover, substantially as described.

. WILLIAM L. PITTS. 

